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Win Min Htut, of Bethlehem, is led to his preliminary hearing this morning by Lehigh County deputies on charges he fatally shot his wife, Thida Myint, in front of their three children on Dec. 17 outside their Bethlehem home.
(Express-Times Photo | BILL ADAMS)

A Bethlehem man accused of shooting his wife in the street in front of their children the day a protection-from-abuse order was approved against him told police he went over to the family's house to kill himself.

Win Min Htut started crying this morning as he entered Central
Court in a blue prison jumpsuit and
shackles. He repeatedly kissed a photo of a woman that he had with paperwork;
prosecutors didn't see the photo and couldn't say if the picture was of his wife.

A crowd of family and friends sat on one side of the
courtroom gallery.

Following this morning's hearing, District Judge Patricia Engler sent charges of homicide, burglary and criminal trespass against Htut to Lehigh County Court in the Dec. 17 killing of 37-year-old Thida Myint.

Htut remains in Lehigh County Prison without bail.

Bethlehem police Detective Sean Molony testified Htut had a .38-caliber gun but was not allowed to have
weapons under the protection-from-abuse order. In an interview with police after the fatal shooting, Htut said he went to his father's home that day,
took a gun, loaded it, racked the slide and then took out the magazine, Molony said.

Htut told officers he put the magazine in one pocket and the
gun in the other, and went to his wife's house that afternoon with the intent to
kill himself.

Molony said Htut let himself in the house with his keys -- even though he wasn't allowed to be at the house under the protection order. When the couple's 16-year-old daughter went to the kitchen to grab a knife, Myint, their 10-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter ran out the front door, Molony said.

Htut told police he pointed the gun at his wife when she fell and he tried to grab the toddler, but the gun went off, Molony said.